Lost in the Valley of the Night
by AzureOtter
Summary: Eponine's death explained in more detail. And after her death.


**I hope you enjoy this! Don't worry, it gets better towards the end. I don't own Les Mis.**

The pain was terrible, unbearable Eponine didn't care that she was going to die, she had nothing to live for anyways. She just wanted the pain to end. She had some last wishes, however. She wished to tell her sister how much she loved her. She wished to apologize to Cosette for everything she had ever done for her. Most of all, she wished to tell Marius how much she loved him.

A dark shape was moving in front of her. Squinting, Eponine recognized it to be Marius Pontmercy.

"Monsieur Marius!" she gasped feebly. When he did not respond, she cried again, "Monsieur Marius! Marius Pontmercy! At your feet."

She inched herself towards him like a snake. Bending down, he said, "Who-"

"You do not recognize me?" she snapped immediately.

"No."

"Ep-Eponine. Eponine Thenardier. You do not recognize me, in my man's clothes. But it is I."

"Eponine! Good God, what are you doing?"

"I am dying, Monsieur. Dying!"

Under closer inspection, Marius saw that she was wounded. "'Ponine!" he cried, and Eponine allowed herself a small wince, that was supposed to be a smile. Never before had he referred to her by her nickname. "You are wounded! I must get you to a doctor! Someone, help! Here is a wounded man-no, a wounded girl! A mere girl! Somebody, help!"

"No," Eponine gasped. "I do not desire a doctor's help."

"Where do you suffer?"

"My hand."

"Oh, well, that is nothing. People do not die of bullets through the hand."

"Monsieur, you do not understand. The bullet traversed my hand, but it came out through my back. I-I took the bullet for you." Eponine finally allowed a tear to trickle down her face. It was not a tear caused by pain or fear, but of sorrow that Marius still did not love her and did not realize what she had risked for him.

"Sit down near me, on this stone," she commanded.

He obeyed, and she lay her head on his knee. "Oh!" Eponine murmured. "How comfortable I am! I do not feel the pain any more." She was silent for a moment, before saying, "You thought me ugly, didn't you? Well, never mind. You see, Monsieur Marius, I have a letter for you. It is from Cosette. I kept it from you, and I am sorry."

Marius took the letter from her casually, but Eponine could tell he was dying-how horrible that saying now seemed!-to read it. She sighed. "Now, you must promise me-"

"What?"

"Promise!"

"I promise!"

"Good. You must promise to give me a kiss on my brow when I am dead. I shall feel it."

Eponine sighed again, as if she was being relieved of a heavy burden. She knew she was about to die, and somehow, death did not seem so terrifying now that it was about to occur. She silently prayed for all her sins, and asked God to guide her to the light. She forced herself to keep her eyes open for a moment more, and said in an other-worldly voice,

"And by the way, Monsieur Marius, I believe that I was a little bit in love with you."

And she closed her eyes for the last time.

And she opened them again. She was in a world of people and light. The people seemed to not be of this world.

Then she realized the fact.

They were _not _of the normal world. They were spirits.

A beautiful golden-haired woman floated past her in a hospital gown.

"Excuse me, Ma'am," Eponine said. "But where am I?"

The woman smiled. "You are where you think you are. The other world. The better world."

"And who are you?" Eponine asked.

The woman took a step closer to 'Ponine and took her hands. "Eponine," she said gently, "I am glad you gave Marius my Cosette's letter."

"_Your_ Cosette?" Eponine said incredulously. "And who are you, Mademoiselle?"

The woman let go of Eponine's hands, still smiling. As she began to float away, into the mist, she said, "I am called Fantine."

And in the distance, Eponine thought she heard people singing.

"Do you hear the people sing?

Lost in the valley of the night

It is the music of the of a people who are climbing to the light

For the wretched of the earth,

There is a flame that never dies

Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise!

They will live again in freedom,

In the garden of our Lord,

They will walk behind the plough-share,

They will put away the sword!

The chain will be broken and all men will have they're reward!

Will you join in our crusade?

Who will be strong and stand with me?

Beyond the barricade,

Is there a world you long to see?

Then join in the fight

That will give you the right to be free!

Do you hear the people sing?

Say do you hear the distant drums?

It is the future that they bring when tomorrow comes!"

**Forgive me if I got some of the lyrics wrong at the end. Sorry, I just had to put some song lyrics in there! Did you like it? Please review!**

**Thanks for reading,**

**AzureOtter**


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